Basket style containers normally have a central lengthwise extending wall which leads into an upstanding handle portion. On each side of the central wall is an open topped compartment section for receiving a number of bottles. Further, divider walls generally are also provided inside each compartment section so as to define individual pockets for each bottle. When fully erected, the container has a base, a pair of end wall means generally perpendicular to the central wall and a pair of side walls generally parallel to the central wall and hingedly connected to the end walls.
It is common for the containers to be supplied to an end user, such as a beverage manufacturer, in a flat condition either fully glued or glued except for a pair of base panels. The end user then runs the containers on a packing machine which opens the containers and inserts the bottles, having closed the base panels where necessary.
In EP-A-1319607 there is provided a paperboard basket type carrier device having a lengthwise extending central wall, article receiving compartments on both sides of the central wall and a handle portion, each receiving compartment being defined by a base wall, a side wall substantially parallel to the central wall, a pair of end walls extending between and hingedly connected to the side wall, and the central wall with compartment dividers being folded out from the central wall and adhesively secured to the side walls, the handle portion being separate from the central wall, being movable relative thereto between a raised position and a lowered position and being connected to the remainder of the carrier device by means of interconnecting webs extending from the pair of side walls, a releasable interconnection being provided between the handle portion and the remainder of the carrier device to retain the handle portion in its lowered position.